Comments on: PR: What Not to Do: Crappy Ads

By: american otaku

american otaku — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 22:29:07 +0000

I agree. why do they always think that fans of comics or manga or completely dip snits. I mean, we do have a life. but I guess they wouldn’t know that because they are too busy staring at their own computer, fantasizing up these dumb ads that they thing WE would be fantasizing over. they are making what they want to see, not the other way around

By: Crocodile Caucus » Friday Tidbits

Crocodile Caucus » Friday Tidbits — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 07:53:23 +0000

[...] of dysfunctional comic fanboys what’s up with these ads Johanna found. Hoo-boy, that’s why I only visit major comics sites when a comics blogger says there’s [...]

By: Lea

Lea — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 10:06:55 +0000

Ah, that Platinum ad…it demonstrats so well why Platinum is the respected industry leader.

And it sure makes me feel extra good about their involvement with the organization that aids missing (exploited?) children.

Godalmighty, comics are stupid.

By: Otaku-Lad

Otaku-Lad — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 20:13:44 +0000

Of course you can’t get into her pants.

Have you ever tried to get into the pants of someone 2 dimensional? Very, very difficult…

By: notintheface

notintheface — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 00:14:22 +0000

I’ve got a great idea for Rob Liefeld and his various imitators: Use these drawings to advertise for a chiropractor or a scoliosis foundation. Kind of a “Don’t let this happen to you” type of thing.

By: Mithel

Mithel — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 23:18:43 +0000

Ye Gods, the spine contortions have reached Liefieldian proportions, to the escape pods!

Also, it makes me a little bit sick that these ads could even be conceived in the first place, much less be published, and frankly, I’m insulted that they would think such a thing would appeal to me as a consumer.

Also, RE: Losers and their phones, losers often have loser friends who they call and discuss how better to abase themselves before the idol of unrealistic sex objects in a vain hope of finding human companionship before the age of 78.

By: david brothers

david brothers — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 07:17:37 +0000

One more thing–

What kind of smelly, friendless nerd even has a mobile phone, anyway? Who are they gonna talk to? They don’t have any friends!

The question of the day is, Who are they selling this to?

Can you imagine a guy (or girl) being so hard-up that he has to buy a cell phone to ogle some poorly drawn comics girls? I mean, it’s not even Frank Cho, Amanda Connor, or Adam Hughes. It’s J. Random Liefeldson, copier of the ’90s “Big Hair, Bent Spine” style.

The more I think about it, the more depressing that ad becomes!

By: David Oakes

David Oakes — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 07:00:39 +0000

As I read the sidebar for the other blogs, the picture of the redhead gets cut off right at fist level. Question their Marketing, but their Graphic Designer knows his layouts.

(Which would be a pun, if I thought he was.)

By: Lyle

Lyle — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 06:55:15 +0000

Karen, good point, I recall a few friends’ stories about 24 Hour Fitness sales persons…

By: Karen

Karen — Sat, 30 Dec 2006 04:32:28 +0000

I wonder if any other industries use self-loathing to sell their goods?

The “self improvement” industry (dieting, plastic surgery, bigger boobs inna pill, etc) is always a safe answer.

By: one diverse comic book nation » THE SHORT STACK: Diversity On The ‘Net - December 29, 2006

Sat, 30 Dec 2006 01:44:12 +0000

[...] Crappy Ads – Johanna from Comics Worth Reading points out some not-so-feminist comic related ads (from Comics Worth Reading [...]

By: bnjammin

bnjammin — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 18:05:02 +0000

I agree with David Oaks. Why aren’t Cassie’s boobs bigger? DON’T THE FOLKS UNDERSTAND ANYTHING ABOUT MARKETING!??! :-)

By: david brothers

david brothers — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:36:03 +0000

As for the Platinum ad, when Quesada (Jemas?) took the reins at Marvel he explicitly said they were targeting the "still lives in mother's basement" demographic. And look where they are today. No one ever went broke underestimating the sex drive or self-loathing of a comic fan. That was Jemas, and I still can't tell how serious he was about it. Source here.

Bad Girls for fan boys, sometimes I call them date books. We have quite a few male readers who live in the basement of their parent's house in Queens. For them, an evening with Elektra is as good as it gets. Tell you what though, the Marvel Universe has always had female characters front and center, and we have always had a big female following for the comics, for the X-Men TV show, and now for the movie.

I mean, that kind of mocking is usually reserved for, uh, brutal mocking, not sales pitching. Plus, considering some of the other shenanigans that Jemas got down to during his tenure, I'm almost sure that this was 10% hype, 90% dis. Maybe 30-70. I wish I could hear his tone when he said that, though. More on topic- those ads are ridiculous. I'd like to not think that the average comics fan is into that, but I may be being a bit too optimistic. I wonder if any other industries use self-loathing to sell their goods?

By: Paul Sizer

Paul Sizer — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 16:23:00 +0000

I kept seeing that idiotic ad with that woman’s ass flashing me everytime I went to read stuff on THE PULSE and thought “Can we please find ANYTHING ELSE to put there?” I felt like I was at a porno site (of which I’ve only read about…)

And of course, if I ever got into the pants of any woman drawn by Liefeld, the only thing I’d do for her is crack her back for her so she could stand up straight!

By: Johanna

Johanna — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:08:15 +0000

I think that question answers itself. :)

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:08:07 +0000

{Read the following with extreme sarcasm} When did Platinum Comics become a subdivision of Avatar? I thought they were suppose to be a distributed by Image? So when is the Lady Death crossover going to happen?

By: Ed Sizemore

Ed Sizemore — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 14:03:28 +0000

Another question, why is Cassie drawn to look exactly like the cheerleader in Heroes?

By: Johanna

Johanna — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:21:05 +0000

Guy, I’m suddenly motivated to find cards and have all the Green Lanterns duke it out. Thanks for the explanation.

Loren, I’m speechless.

By: David Oakes

David Oakes — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 07:16:28 +0000

Fanboy Question:

Why are Cassie’s breasts smaller than her head? Is that allowed?

(And what is up with her head in the ad? It looks normal in the card, as far as I can tell.)

As for the Platinum ad, when Quesada (Jemas?) took the reins at Marvel he explicitly said they were targeting the “still lives in mother’s basement” demographic. And look where they are today. No one ever went broke underestimating the sex drive or self-loathing of a comic fan.

By: Loren

Loren — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 05:50:57 +0000

I think the Platinum Ad is trying to target the moron I happened to overhear at the store this evening. He was talking to somebody on his cell phone and said, “Yeah, I’m married now. Can you believe it? To fuckin’ Heidi. Yeah, the one with the big tits. Yeah, that’s her.” He actually said that. I had to write it down.

I just kept saying to myself, “No, I can’t believe you’re married.”

Anyway, I imagine him being the target audience.

**Shudders**